Uncoupling apparatus for pilot couplers



Feb, 7, ON

UNCOUPLING APPARATUS FOR PILOT COUPLER-S Filed July 17, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 HG I- W TNESSES: I N VEN TOR:

iiizrman liLaz son Feb. 7, 1939. v H. G. LARSON 2,146,220

UNCOUPLING APPARATUS FOR PILOT COUPLER-S Filed July 17, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H mmiman ljcLalrsow,

Feb. 7, 1939. H, LARSON 2,146,220

UNCOUPLING APPARATUS FOR PILOT COUPLERS Filed July 17, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG: I

1 NV EN TOR:

WITNE 515s.-

Byifiirman filial son; j a) 0;2NEYs. g

Feb. 7, 1939. 4 LARsQN 2,146,220

UNCOUPLING APPARATUS FOR PILOT COUPLERS Filed July 17, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W NESSES: INVENTOR: U] W Harman 1i. Larson,

1 I m K) I I I TORNEYS,

Patented Feb. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES UNC'OUPLING APPARATUS FOR PILOT COUPLEBS Herman G. Larson, Altoona, Pa., assignor to The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Philadelphia,

Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 1-1, 1936, Serial No. 91.158

4 Claims. (01. 213-102) This invention relates to an uncoupling apparatus useful for a pilotcoupler, and though capable of a variety of uses, it' is especially adapted for use with a locomotive pilot coupler of the 5 disappearing type.

Heretofore it has been proposed to employ a swinging coupler .at the pilot of the locomotive which can be moved from a service'position. wherein it extends forwardly from the pilot, to

a housed position wholly within the pilot, the housing of the coupler being accomplished in such manner as to maintain the continuity or smoothness of the deflecting surfaces at the front of the pilot.. One difficulty presented by II the use of a disappearing coupler of this type is that the standard forms of uncoupling apparatus are not designed to take care of such a degree of radial movement of the coupler. It has been proposed to employ detachable links or the like to be disconnected when the coupler is housed and to be connected when the coupler is in service. Such a method is cumbersome and disadvantageous, for it is desirable that the uncoupling rigging be at all times in readiness for 26 service with the parts securely assembled together, and it 1 is particularly important to guard against the possibility of the uncoupling apparatus being inoperative, by reason of the disconnection, accidental or otherwise, of any of 80 its parts, at a time when it is desired to effect uncoupling.

It has also been proposed to surround the pilotof a locomotive with a streamlined casing, and when such. a casing is employed the standard forms of uncoupling apparatus are not altogether satisfactory because .of difficulties in gaining access to the handles of the operating levers, and operating the same through doors in the casing.

The object of the present invention is to provide a form of uncoupling apparatus which overcomesthe abpve recited difficulties. More specifically, the apparatus of this invention is designed to take care of the movement of a disappearing coupler without requiring disconnection of any i parts, and it is further characterized by the provision of an operating rod which is adapted to slide in the direction of its length, rather than to berotated about its central axis, .and thus to make it easier to manipulate the handle of the operating rod when access to the apparatus is gained through a streamlined. casing.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention, including those derived from the use of means for minimizing frictional resistance,

5! will be apparent from the description hereinafter set forth, of one example or embodiment of the invention, having reference to the accompanying drawinga.

Of the drawings:

Fig. I represents a front elevation of a locomotive pilot embodying my invention.

Fig. II represents a plan view of the same, in which the coupler is represented in full lines in its service position and in dot-and-dash lines in its housed position within the plot.

Fig. III represents a cross section, taken as indicated by the lines III-III. of Fig. 11.

Fig. IV, represents a perspective view of a stop pin for limiting radial movement of the coupler when in service.

Fig. V represents an enlarged detail view of a handle and latch mechanism, taken as indicated by the lines V-V in Fig. 11, by means of which the coupler may be locked in its housed position.

pilot shown in dot-and-dash lines.

Fig. VlI represents an enlarged view of a portion of the lifterbar of the uncoupling appa ratus, taken as indicated by the linesNIL-VII of Fig. II, showing the manner in which rollers are applied thereto at the points of engagement with the operating rods; and,

Fig. VIII represents an enlarged cross section of one of the operating rods, taken as indicated by the lines VIII-VIII of Fig. II, showing the manner in which a roller is applied thereto for sliding engagement with the top deck of the pilot.

With reference to Figs. I and II of the drawings, there is shown a locomotive front end construction which includes an integrally cast pilot and pilot beam. In the particular example shown, the pilot and pilot beam are made up of sections bolted or otherwise secured together, there being a central pilot member I and wings la, lb forming lateral extensions of the pilot and pilot beam. It will be understood, however, that the invention being primarily concerned with the uncoupling apparatus, hereinafter described in detail, the particular construction shown in the drawings constitutues merely one example of a locomotive front end construction to which my invention may be advantageously applied.

The top surfaces of the central pilot member I and of the wings la, lb, together with the deck plate 2, form a flat deck upon which various equipment may be mounted, including the uncoupling apparatus which is comprehensively designated at 3. At the front of the pilot, the

walls 441, 4b converge forwardly toward the center line of the locomotive, and present solid defleeting surfaces well adapted to cast an object clear of the track when struck by the locomotive. Desirably steps 5 project laterally at each side of the structure near the base thereof, and additional steps 6 are formed in the wing castings ia, lb at a higher elevation. In an obvious manner the steps 5, 6 permit a man to mount to the flat deck at the top of the pilot or to gain access to the uncoupling apparatus 2.

In order to accommodate the coupler I, a housing 2 is provided within the central pilot member As shown most clearly in Fig. III, the pilot member I is cellular in construction, and the housing 8 constitutes a compartment bounded at the top and bottom and on all sides, except the front, by webs or walls of the casting. The housing I is of such shape that the coupler I may be wholly accommodated therein when not in service. At the base of the housing 8 there is a horizontal shelf 9 with an annular boss ||I surrounding the coupler center pin A cover plate I2 is formed integrally with the coupler I and accurately fits the opening at the front of the coupler housing 8. The cover plate l2. moves with the coupler I about the center pin II, It may be locked in closed position by means of a handle l4 and latch mechanism, the details of which are represented in Fig. V. At the inside of the cover plate |2, there is a latch member I! which rotateswith the handle l4 and which is adapted to engage behind the edge of the wall 4a.

In order to limit radial motion of the'coupler 1 in a counterclockwise direction, a stop pin I6 is employed, the pin It being normally housed in a pocket l1, and secured against removal by means of a collar ll at the base thereof, as shown most clearly in Fig. IV. In its housed position, represented in Fig. III, the top of the stop pin it is beneath the bottom of the coupler I. When the coupler is extended forwardly to service position, the pin I6 is raised, and turned to the position represented in Figs. I, II and IV, wherein its enlarged top portion, which is of elliptical cross section, rests on the shelf 9 and bears against an upstanding abutment 20. To return the stop pin I8 to housed position, the pin is lifted and rotated clear of the abutment and then dropped into the pocket l1. Radial movement of the coupler I in the other direction is limited by the side wall of the coupler housing 8.

The uncoupling apparatus 3 is most clearly represented in Fig, VI. It comprises generally a pair of uncoupling 'pull rods 2| which extend transversely across the top deck of the pilot, a lifter bar 22 having a fixed end pivotally mounted on the pilot, and connecting members including an extension arm 22 and a link 24 which are attached to the free end of the lifter bar and join the lock lifting means of the coupler I. The locklifting or unlocking means is operated by an upward actuating movement. The operating rods 2| are slidable in the direction of their length within guides 25 bolted to the top of the pilot. Each operating rod 2| has at the outer end thereof an upturned handle 26, by means of which an uncoupling operation is effected, and at the other end an upwardly inclined arm 21 which freely engages the lifter bar 22 from beneath the same. The upturned arms 21 of the two operating rods 2| cross each other immediately below the lifter bar 22 and engage a pair of rollers 28 on the lifter bar 22. As shown most clearly in Fig. VII, the rollers 28 are secured to the intermediate portion of the lifter bar 22 by means of cotter pins 29, with washers 30 interposed between the pins and the rollers,-

Adjacent to the rollers 28 a pair of vertical guide members 32 are affixed to the top deck of the pilot. The guide members 32 may conveniently take the form of a flat strip bent to a right angle, and together they confine movement of the intermediate portion of the lifter bar 22 to a vertical plane which is coincident with the pivotal axis of the coupler I. At its fixed end, the lifter bar 22 has an enlarged portion 33 flattened and provided with an aperture through which a pivot bolt 34 passes. The pivot bolt is supported in brackets 25. movement of either of the operating rods 2| outwardly in the direction of its length causes an upward movement withinthe guides 32 of the free end of the lifter bar 22. The free end of the lifter bar 22 has a flattened portion 36 provided with an aperture through which a bolt 21 is inserted. The bolt 31 is fixed to a yoke portion 38 of the extension arm 23. It will be noted that the bolt 31 is directly above and in line with the pivotal axis of the coupler center pin H, see Figs. II and III. When the coupler 1 moves from In an obvious manner, sliding its forwardly extended or service position to its housed position, the link 24 is accommodated within an arcuate opening 39 at the top of the coupler housing 8. When the coupler I swings horizontally about its upright pivot axis II, the guides 32, 32 brace the lifter bar 22 as against side stresses from the extension member 22, pivoted 0r articulated to it about the upright axis 31 aligned with the axis I On each operating rod 2| there is provided a pair of rollers 40 which engage the flat deck at the top of the pilot. When it isdesired to effect uncoupling, the operator grasps the handle 26 at either side of the locomotive, and pulls the same outwardly in a direction transverse to the center line of the locomotive. The rollers 40 aid materially in the manipulation of the operating rods 2|. As clearly shown in Fig. VIII, each roller 40 is mounted on a bushing 4| and is accommodated between a pair of washers 42. A bolt 43 secures the parts to the operating rod 2|. Each pull rod 2| lifts the lifting bar 22 and unlocks the coupling quite independently of the other, by means of its own independent inclined arm 21, without at all affecting the other rod 2| or its operability by a pull. This is important; because a man pushing on such a rod in the effort to operate a mechanism that sticks may fall on a rail between the cars when the mechanism suddenly yields to his eflort.

The operation of the uncoupling apparatus will be apparent from the above description of its component parts. It will be particularly observed that all parts of the apparatus are permanently connected together, and that there is no occasion for disconnection of any part when it is desired to house the coupler 1 within the coupler housing 8. When the coupler i is moved to housed position, the extension arm 22 moves about the pivot bolt 81 in line with the axis of the center pin and the link 24 moves inwardly through the arcuate opening 39. When the coupler I is thus housed, its cover plate i2 fills the opening at the front of the coupler housing 8 and forms with the front walls 40., 4b smooth continuous deflecting surfaces.

Moreover, it will be observed that the front end construction herein described is particularly well adapted for use in conjunction with an exterior streamlined casing. When such casing (not shown) is employed, it may surround the construction close to the front surfaces of the pilot and yet not interfere with the operation of the uncoupling apparatus, access to the handles being gained through small doors in the casing. One example of the streamlined casing of this character is shown in the pending application of William G. Myer and David R. Ohlwiler, Serial No. 91,153, fliled July 1'7, 1936.

While I have described herein one particular example of a locomotive front end construction embodying uncoupling apparatus of this invention, it will be apparent, especially to those skilled in the art, that various changes may be made in the pilot and coupler structure, and in the form of the parts of the uncoupling apparatus, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a railway vehicle end frame and coupling mechanism, including a coupler associated with said end frame and having unlocking means operable by an upward actuating movement, and a lifter bar operatively connected to said unlocking means for actuating the same; of separate transverse pull rods associated with said end frame and extending one to each side thereof, each of said pull rods being operable only from one side of said end frame, and means operable by a pull on either of said rods, independently of the other rod, for lifting said lifter bar while leaving said other rod substantially unmoved, so that the unlocking means of the coupler may be operated by a pull on the rod from either side of the car without affecting the pull rod extending to the other side of the car and its operability by a pull.

2. The combination with a railway vehicle end frame and coupling mechanism, including a coupler associated with said end frame and having unlocking means operable by an upward actuating movement, and a lifter bar operatively connected to said unlocking means for actuating the same; of separate transverse pull rods associated with said end frame and extending one to each side thereof, each of said pull rods being operable only from one side of said end frames, means for lifting said lifter bar connected to one of said pull rods and operable by a pull thereon, and means independent of that aforesaid and for lifting said lifter bar connected to the other of said pull rods and operable by a pull thereon, while the first mentioned pull rod remains substantially unmoved, so that the unlocking means of the coupler may be operated by a pull on a rod from either side of the car without affecting the pull rod extending to the other side of the car and its operability by a pull.

3. The combination with a railway vehicle coupling mechanism including a coupler pivoted to swing about an upright axis and provided with unlocking means operable by an upward actuating movement, a lifter bar for actuating said unlocking means, and operating means forlifting said lifter bar; of an extension member pivoted to said lifter bar about an upright axis aligned with the aforesaid upright axis of said coupler; and means connecting said extension member to the unlocking means of said coupler, so that the latter may be operated by said operating means in any horizontal position of the coupler.

4. The combination with a railway vehicle coupling mechanism including a coupler pivoted to swing about an upright axis and provided with unlocking means operable by an upward actuating movement, a lifter bar pivoted to swing upward relative to said coupler, for actuating said unlocking means, and operating means for swinging said lifter bar as aforesaid; of an extension member pivoted to said lifter bar about an upright axis aligned with the aforesaid upright axis of said coupler; means connecting said extension member to the unlocking means of said coupler, so that the later may be operated by said operating means in any horizontal position of said coupler, or even during its swinging movement; and upright guides coacting with said lifter bar, for bracing it when said extension member swings about its upright pivotal axis with the swinging of the coupler.

HERMAN G. LARSON. 

